5 ways Petraeus changes Afghanistan
Gen. David Petraeus will now manage the war effort in Afghanistan. Expect a few shifts...
When President Obama named Gen. David Petraeus to replace ousted Gen. Stanley McChyrstal as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, he pledged that it was "a change in personnel, not in policy." But that doesn't mean there won't be any tweaks in how the war is managed or fought. (Watch a Fox discussion about Petraeus' appointment.) Here are five theories on how Petraeus' leadership could affect the war:
1. The war will get bloodier
McChrystal believed in "severely" limiting the use of air strikes to reduce Afghan civilian casualties, says Noah Shachtman in Wired. By contrast, during the Petraeus-led "surge" in Iraq, let's just say "the trend line went in the opposite direction." Many frontline troops hope he follows the same strategy and ramps up the bombing in Afghanistan.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. The withdrawal "deadline" will become less clear cut
Look for Petraeus to "re-calibrate and fine tune" the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, says Peter Goodspeed in Canada's National Post, and the first thing he'll work to change is "all the talk of a possible withdrawal of U.S. troops by next summer." Already, Petraeus has spoken about the July 2011 pullout date as merely the beginning of a transition period — not a time to being "[racing] for the exits."
3. The Taliban will be re-energized
Taliban leaders are "mesmerized" by the McChrystal saga, say Ron Moreau and Sami Yousafzai in Newsweek, and giddy at "the apparent insubordination (and the backbiting) in the U.S. ranks." They see the soldier-to-soldier joking about Obama, and also Petraeus' fainting spell, "as the latest sign of America’s impending defeat in Afghanistan." Meanwhile, the Taliban is allegedly more united and determined than ever.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
4. U.S. strategy will become more creative
"If the Taliban sold stock, its price would surely have fallen" after Obama's leadership shift, says David Ignatius in The Washington Post. Petraeus' "willingness to experiment" is a crucial "strategic advantage" over McChrystal, whose Afghanistan strategy is, "frankly, spinning its wheels." We'll need Petraeus' "creativity," media-age savvy, and willingness to "think outside the box" to defeat, or at least forge détente with, the Taliban.
5. Pakistan will play a more productive role
The Afghanistan strategy itself may not change much, actually, says Max Fisher in The Atlantic, but "there is one very important tool at Petraeus' disposal that McChrystal lacked: His relationship with the political and military leaders of Pakistan." With Petraeus in charge, Pakistan's spy agency might be more willing to pass on vital intelligence and keep the Taliban out of the porous border region. Having an ally like that could make all the difference.
.....................................
SEE MORE OF THE WEEK'S COVERAGE OF THE AFGHANISTAN WAR:
• McChrystal out, Petraeus in: First reactions
• Gen. McChrystal vs. Obama: A timeline
• McChrystal: A short history of other "furious" Obama moments
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published